[Body contouring by removal of skin and fatty tissue]

There is an increasing demand for surgical correction of the body contour in the modern society. We present a summary of the indications and techniques of the most important interventions on the abdomen, hip, thigh and arm. The operations aim at the correction of localized excesses of fat and skin tissue with liposuction and dermolipectomy. Liposuction is performed through small skin incisions, which results in minimal scar formation; and which is associated with minimal complication rates. The indication for liposuction is restricted to the conditions in which the overlying skin is capable to retract and adapt itself to the new contour. Otherwise, or if an excess of skin is the cause of the deformity, a dermolipectomy is required. In this case, the incisions are chosen in a way that the resulting scar may be hidden as well as possible.